Honoring a Groundbreaking Chicana: Dr. Louise Año Nuevo Kerr

Dr. Louise Año Nuevo Kerr (From the University of Illinois, Chicago
"Chicana Chicago Oral History Project--Irene Flores Collection")

Today we have Linda Garcia Merchant, as guest bloguista, honoring fellow Chicana, Dr. Louise Año Nuevo Kerr with poetry and remembrance. Linda remembers the day she found out that Dr. Año Nuevo Kerr had died.  Her recollections bring back important memories and a poem!

By Linda Garcia Merchant:

I read about the passing of Dr. Louise Año Nuevo Kerr right before I left the house to go to class and said out loud, "No!" 
My mother, Ruth"Rhea" Mojica Hammer said, "No what mija?" 
I told her the news. Ruth just said, "Aye, so young. She was from the MABPW right?" 
I said with a sigh, "Yes, she was."

In 1977, Ruth gathered a group of professional Latinas to form an organization that would encourage leadership development and mentoring--concentimiento sin la politica. The Mexican American Business and Professional Women's Club (MABPW), became the first professional Latina organization in Chicago and for twenty years recruited members from education, law, government, and finance to create a community of support and mentorship. (See video of Ruth here.)

Ruth liked Louise, “la Maestra” as she called all the younger academic members. She was so proud of this new group of Chicana and Latina PhDs.  Ruth, con las grassroots comadres of Pilsen, Little Village, South Chicago and Humboldt Park, fought hard for the successful entry of this generation into Chicago’s Latino communities, mentoring without even knowing--until much later. 

Mentoring would come to me, from Ruth and Louise, in 2015, as a first year grad student in Lincoln Nebraska. I was angry that Louise, this trail blazing pioneer would not be there to talk to this generation of Latino students about her 1970s groundbreaking, yet unpublished work documenting Latinos in the Midwest. This work included a catalog of oral history interviews with first generation Mexicanos and their migration stories, work that has been cited thousands of times by graduate students and historians.

Dr. Louise Año Nuevo Kerr

I could imagine her, telling Dr. Elena Gutierrez of the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) and the Chicana Chicago oral history students about her academic journey; bringing Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (MALCS) to Chicago in the 1990s, mentoring so many students at Loyola and UIC.  Eager LALS students, questions in hand, primary and secondary research discussed and noted, ready to fill in the blanks and find out "why."  I could see her there asking them about their research, their majors, as they're helping to break down the film set, or putting photos and newspaper clippings in folders marked by year to be digitized during an “archive dive."

Only she won't be there to say to those students, "I did the oral histories because the research wasn't there. I needed to make the data happen so I made it happen. That is what you do. You see a need and you fill it." Instead, there will be a stunning silence; a chasm where a bridge should be to remind us that we can create the place, time and action that builds history.

I can only make sense of this as a history builder. We, of the Chicana Por Mi Raza Digital Memory Collective, Somos Latinas and Chicana Chicago/MAPBW oral history projects work hard to save, collect, film and curate these stories when we can and if we are able. I have to believe that in loss, there is gain and when a Chicana dies, it is not without meaning because her body of work remains. Dr. Louise Año Nuevo Kerr's data is intact in a special collection at UIC and will always tell a factual story.

I will make something of this story. Find the connections in random moments, like today. Today I lost my wallet and a kind stranger, Mr. Baldwin found it. He found the number of Carl, my insurance agent in Chicago and called him. It was about ten minutes after I realized my wallet was missing that I got a call from Carl's secretary, Vickie.  She gave me Mr. Baldwin's number and informed me that he had my wallet. I called Mr. Baldwin, we met, he gave me my wallet, I hugged him, and we chatted. He too is a newly minted PhD from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln (UNL), first in his family, like me. He said he would keep in touch. I suspect we will keep in touch--Lincoln is like that.

As he walked away, I thought about Dr. Año Nuevo Kerr, in the 1970s, attempting to do something that hadn't been done before. I realized in that moment I needed to thank her for the return of my wallet. A lifesaving moment had been passed on to me, 45 years later on a new campus in a new town where I didn't know many people and I was going to do research that was very different and necessary, as a history builder.

The random connections that tether us to one another live in a space that cannot be measured until something happens to reveal all the paths and causes built into that webbed network. A revelation that happens in a flash, and as an afterthought. Maybe we're just supposed to recognize the power in those moments and live in how we trust and what we know.

Rest In Power, Dr. Louise Año Nuevo Kerr

Elegy to Dr. Louise Año Nuevo Kerr

I must live in a space 

where memories comfort me.

In the daily reminder

that I do store and collect

the memories of others.

Memories

living in this space

as butterflies in pure color.

A glance

a fleeting mention

a flicker on a page

winged, translucent.

Today I have no peace

in the news of death.

In death I lose the war

not the battle.

Your voice is lost

to the dialogue 

now in disconnect.

Your story half told

second told

almost told

unconfirmed

in disarray.

Your answers

living 

as an elusive

whimsical dream

I sometimes find

when I close my eyes

when I listen close

when I can do nothing.

I have lived in this 

broken record’s groove

for too long.

Death is like that

leaving only so much 

to the living

never enough

questions answered.

You will always be

a story with more questions

and few new answers

We will all have 

some small part 

of your story

bits, scraps, 

dust blown from 

the unpublished manuscript.

Time would like us to forget

your content rooted in a place

left in yesterday

at the end of a broken road

that should have had your name

as guidepost.

We won’t forget

greedily clutching

at your memory

before it slips 

through our hands

becoming the blur

as sweaty

as faded

as torn

that history requires.

Written by Linda Garcia Merchant
Teaching Assistant and Ph.D Student
Department of English and Ethnic Studies
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Linda Garcia Merchant is also the Technical Director of Chicana Por Mi Raza, Digital Memory Collective
She is a Digital Media Partner of Somos Latinas Oral History Project, University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Chicana Chicago/MAPBW Collection Project, University of Illinois Chicago
Click here for Linda Garcia Merchant's  full bio!

Trump on SNL, no laughing matter. #BoycottSNL

Worth $7B, King Trump lives here wants you worship him.

Donald Trump may represent the most vicious, racist, neo-fascist, super-capitalist threat ever to reach notoriety in recent U.S. history. He's the bastard product of a threesome involving a KKK cretin, a Koch brother and some Nazi wannabe. How Trumpy does that sound?

Trump is a joke begging to happen. His hair, his ridiculous rants, his immoral beliefs are the butt of jokes worldwide. We USicans should hide our heads in shame, even if we're not liberals or Latinos.

"Trump is scheduled to host Saturday Night Live on Nov. 7th. Many Latinos are not happy. Two online petitions have been started demanding NBC drop Trump — AGAIN. Juan Escalante started a petition on MoveOn.org and Guillermo A. Castañeda, Jr., who started the first one on Change.org, has resurrected his asking NBC to 'keep [their] word.' ”

[Between the two, there were over 367,738 signatures total this morning when I signed up.]

What's going on is, “a coalition of 40 Latino groups, including the L.A.-based National Hispanic Media Coalition, National Council of La Raza, and the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, fired a letter off to NBC Universal CEO Stephen Burke asking that he facilitate a meeting with SNL producer Lorne Michaels.”

A racist who should be stopped

In one sense, Donald Trump maybe deserves to host SNL. The show has never had a Latina, and only had two Latino males host it. NBC might be trying to ride Trump's popularity among the privileged, prejudiced electorate. And expect el baboso to make a joke about this old headline: NBC fires Donald Trump after he calls Mexicans rapists and drug runners.

He wants to give us el dedazo.

As one blogger described it, "Donald Trump is a loudmouthed orangutan whose face is practically crying out for the addition of a fist. But that’s precisely why NBC is putting him on television next month. The network knows that a Trump shit-show will translate into big numbers for SNL, which means the NBC suits are counting on your animosity toward Trump to drive the ratings through the roof. The network knows this, Trump knows this, and you may as well get it through your head too. Public outrage only makes the prospect of a Trump-hosted SNL that much more enticing.

Whether that analysis is right or not, Chicanos and other Latinos have never let right-wing views decide our tactics. Otherwise, there never would've been boycotts against grape and lettuce grower corporations.

NBC Urged To Drop Donald Trump As SNL Host By Latino Groups & MoveOn

The "coalition" of Latino groups and liberal online activist platform MoveOn.org calling for NBC to disinvite GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump from hosting SNL on Nov. 7th, 2015, point out that Nov. 7th, 2015, is exactly one year from Election Day 2016.

Which brings up another reason to sign the petitions. Whenever Anglo, and other, liberals are willing to add their voice to ours, we should jump on the possibilities. Who knows? From here, such coalitions might grow the ranks of those advocating meaningful immigration reform. Then Trump could rant on about more "Mexican rapists and drug runners." And pull out his unsightly hair.

All jokes aside, whether you're Latino, liberal, or something else, you should be able to explain to your children what he is, why he's "popular," and what you did to kill his influence.

It would be no joke, he would be hilarious, should he rise in popularity to become the Republican candidate. Germany's Nazi Party was elected by masses of citizens who went to the polls. Later, many of them went to the camps, the ovens and to the graveyards as fallen soldiers. And none them were laughing about Hitler's hairy mustache.

Nov. 7th this year in a sense is an election. You can "vote" by signing one of the petitions. You can "abstain" by not signing. And if there's more you think of that would add to the protest, by all means do so. For instance, if you're a Nielsen participant, let NBC know now that you will not be watching SNL. And then, don't watch it.

But it would be better to not stand on the sidelines and allow this clown's farce to continue. There's really nothing funny about it.

Es todo, hoy,

RudyG, a.k.a. Rudy Ch. Garcia, #BoycottSNL petitioner

The Case of the Missing Quilts

 Melinda Palacio

The title of this post sounds like the makings of a suspense story or a murder mystery. I wish fiction were involved in this case, the truth is mysterious and a muddle that may resolve itself when a mechanic in a faraway place opens up an old delivery, expecting to be an obscure part to fix a rare Lamborghini and instead discovers quilts. Quilts with intricate designs, some with words, many accompanied by poems. At least, Fibervision artist and Santa Barbara resident, Lora Martin is hopeful the artwork will turn up.

Last year, Lora and her group came up with the exciting idea to make fiber arts in response to poetry. Their vision should have ended on a positive note, with one big collaborative pachanga. In February 2014, seeds for the collaboration were sewn. "Our Fibervision group was looking for an idea to create a cohesive exhibit for the Pacific International Quilt Festival in October 2015 and one idea that everyone found intriguing was working with text which evolved into using poetry for inspiration," Martin said. "Since I know quite a few poets, I suggested that it would be even better if we used local poets."

Fibervision is a closed group of 22 members, all women, but not by intent. They meet once a month on a Saturday at a local community center. I was very honored that three members of the group chose my poems for inspiration to amazing pieces of quilted art, including my friend Lora Martin. The poem that she chose, Chinaberry Tree, from my book HowFire Is a Story, Waiting, was also chosen by Lorna Morck. Diana Acevedo responded to my poem, Laughter, also from the Fire book by Tía Chucha Press 2012. It was a thrill to have original artwork made in response to my poetry. Several of the other poets were members of the Santa Barbara Sunday Poets, a group I've been a part for ten years.

Many of the Fibervision members had spent over a year working on their poem-inspired artwork until realizing that the show, and their quilts might be compromised. Lora received the first email revealing that something was seriously wrong earlier this month on October 9. It was due to a mother's careful eye in noticing the seriousness of the muddle. "I got an email from a fellow Fibervision member whose mother was attending Quilt Oasis and saw a sign that said the Fibervision exhibit was missing because it had not been delivered," Martin said.

The Quilt Oasis Palm Springs show was scheduled for October 8th through 10th and the Pacific International Quilt Festival took place between October 15th and the 18th. The lead member in charge of following the pallet of artwork didn't, at first, mention the case of the missing fiber art because she was hopeful the pallet would turn up in time for the Pacific International Quilt Festival.

The missing pallet consists of 14 boxes, bundled together. The pallet should have been delivered to the art exhibit titled, Quilt Oasis in Palm Springs earlier this month. The company delivering the pallet has been sending art work to shows for over twenty years and, according to Fibervision members, this is the first time an entire pallet of artwork has been lost. There is a $5,000 finder's fee for the missing artwork.

If you're thinking these "quilts" are similar to your grandma's sometime Christmas gifts of bedspreads and sofa throws, think again. A couple of the Fibervision artists have shared their missing artwork and vision for the collaborative work with my poems. Luckily, there are photographs of the missing art, which I can share, along with my poems that inspired three members of the group.

Chinaberry Tree on Calle de Parian, Mesilla, New Mexico

Melinda Palacio

Painted leaves of yellow. Wasn’t the Chinaberry green

a week ago? Green, like a pistachio paleta,

ready to drip down my hand.

It looks as though paint has splashed her left side lemon.

Her yellowed branches a reminder of yesterday’s

miracle of too many catfish in the arroyo.

Like the tree’s leaves, I long to shake out my feathers,

grow skyward and take flight

beneath the corn blue sky.

Chinaberry Dreams by Lora Martin
part of missing pallet

detail of Chinaberry Dreams by Lora Martin

Detail of Lora Martin's missing artwork, Chinaberry Dreams

I asked Lora Martin about why she chose Chinaberry Tree for her inspiration and this was her answer:

"As far as how I chose your poem, it was mostly because of the strong visual image conjured by your poem Chinaberry Tree on Calle de Parian, Mesilla, New Mexico.  The description of the tree and the sky were powerfully inspirational and the title of my piece Chinaberry Dreams comes from the longing you describe in the last sentence.  The whole thing came to me all at once and it became a matter of digging through my "stash" to find the right fabrics to fulfill that vision.   I did draw and make my own screen for the printing of the chinaberries and created the drawing of the little birds that are quilted into the piece. It took me a long time to make the piece, not the hands-on time, that was fairly short, but I kept stopping and starting over a period of probably nine months as I would work on it, then spend some time looking at it and thinking about what to do next, then repeat the process until it told me it was done."

Another Fibervision member to choose this poem was Lorna Morck. In fact, she was the first to contact me and share photographs of her completed piece, a work of quilt art, "Picture the Words," measuring 24''w x 42''h.  At the time, I had no idea of the extent of this project. Now that realize that 8 different special exhibits were lost, I take courage from both Lora and Lorna who seem intent on keeping positive vibes that the group's artwork will be eventually found. We may get to have our big party yet! Here is Lorna's interpretation of Chinaberry Tree.

Lorna Morck's Picture the Words

Close-up of Lorna Morck's "Picture the Words"

"When I read your words in this poem … flash! ... bright, happy colors … life … movement … joy.  It made me happy, made me smile.  Friends all commented that the resulting piece was not my 'normal' style.  Thank goodness!  After all,  'changing up' is an important part of the creative process.  You asked about how long I worked on it.  I do not track my time, so can only say I worked steadily for about 3 months on this one piece -- painting, hand and machine sewing, etc.  I had other deadlines looming, so finished this one in a timely manner. All began with the poet's words (I LOVE words!), each layer changes/enriches those words."

One of the artists was inspired by my prose poem Laughter, also from How Fire Is a Story, Waiting.

Laughter

Melinda Palacio

The story of my mother touches the wind and rattles me off balance, raises the small hairs on my forearms, my skin no longer feels my own. I long to be cradled by a cloud, suspended and sheltered. I listen to the words of the Grandmother Spirit. My elder says look beneath your skin and you’ll the see the loneliness in your veins. I hear drumming, a familiar wail of pain. The drums stop. The story of my mother is as ordinary as once upon a time there was a happy woman who lived a short life before dying, leaving behind a daughter. The pages between the beginning and the end are filled with laugher. A girl with wild hair the color of the Río Grande sinks her feet into the muddy river and says, you laugh like my grandmother. I laugh harder because the wild woman is my mother.

 

Wildness by Diana Acevedo

Statement by Diana Acevedo

"When I read your words in this poem … flash! ... bright, happy colors … life … movement … joy.  It made me happy, made me smile.  Friends all commented that the resulting piece was not my 'normal' style.  Thank goodness!  After all,  'changing up' is an important part of the creative process.  You asked about how long I worked on it.  I do not track my time, so can only say I worked steadily for about 3 months on this one piece -- painting, hand and machine sewing, etc.  I had other deadlines looming, so finished this one in a timely manner. All began with the poet's words (I LOVE words!), each layer changes/enriches those words."

These three works of art are only a sampling of Fibervision's collaboration with Santa Barbara Sunday Poets. May the universe return the missing pallet of artwork to the group.